Refrigerator display-rack and meat-hanger.



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. PATENTED MAY 28, 1907. H. L. CRAWFORD.

. REFRIGERATOR DISPLAY RACK AND MEAT HANGER.

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- PATENTBD MAY 28, 1907. H. L. CRAWFORD. A

REFRIGERATOR DISPLAY RACK AND MEAT HANGER.

- APPLICATION FILED DBOiB, 1906.

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WITNESSES I/III/ UNITED STATES HUGH LYNN CRAWFORD, OF BRISTOL, TENNESSEE.

REFRIGERATOR DISPLAY-RACK AND MEAT-HANGER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 28, 1907.

Application filed December 8,1906. Serial 346,925.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HUGH LYNN CRAW- FORD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bristol, in the county of Sullivan and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and useful Refrigerator iDisplay-Rack and Meat-Conveyer, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to refrigerators and has for its object to provide an ice-chest or refrigerator having a plurality of display openings formed therein so that a butcher or store-keeper may conveniently display his line of meats to a prospective purchaser without the necessity of removing the same from the refrigerator.

A further object of the invention is to provide a refrigerator having a display rack mounted for rotation therein and adapted to support the meat or other articles of food to be exhibited, and further to provide means for rotating the rack whereby the difierent kinds of meat may be successively exhibited at the display openings.

A still further object of theinvention is to generally improve this class of devices so as to increase their utility, durability and efficiency.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the -construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it being understood that various changes in form, proportions and minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the mechanism for rotating the display rack. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of the supporting rack showing the construction of the connecting brackets.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawings.

The refrigerator consists of a casing or housing 5 preferably rectangular 1n shape, as

shown and provided with a transverse partition 6 forming an ice-receiving compartment 7 and a food-containing compartment 8.

The refrigerator is provided with one or more pivoted doors or closures 9 separated by a vertical partition 10 and provided with transparent plates 11 whereby the meat or other articles of food within the refrigerator may be conveniently exhibited without the necessity of removing the same from the refrigerator. I

Mounted for rotation within the casing or housing is a display rack consisting of an upright or standard 12 one end of which is pro vided with a conical shaped bearing 13 which engages a corres ondingly shaped socket in a supporting blocl r 14 while its op osite end is provided with a socket 15 who receives a conical shaped lug 16 depending from a horizontal bar or support 17, the latter being mounted on suitable-cleats or brackets 18 secured in any suitable manner to the walls of the refrigerator.

Mounted on the upright or standard 12 are a plurality of concentric supporting frames 19 and 20 each provided with one or more impaling hooks 21 adapted to receive the meat or other articles to be displayed, as indicated at 22.

The supporting frame 20 is smaller than the frame 19 and is secured to the upright or standard 12 by means of one or more diagonal braces 23 the opposite ends of which are riveted, bolted or otherwise rigidly secured to the frame 20 and standard 12, as shown.

The supporting frame 19 is spaced vertically from the lower supporting frame 20 and is connected therewith by inclined brackets 24, said brackets being spaced apart and hav ing their opposite ends provided with angular extensions 25 for attachment to the supporting frame, as indicated at 26.

Extending laterally from the upper supporting frame 19 are oppositely disposed arms 27 and 28 provided with terminal eyes 29 to one of which is secured one end of a flexible cord or cable 30 the opposite end of which passes over a roller or pulley 31 secured to the partition 10 and is extended downwardly for attachment to a cable or drum 32 mounted for rotation on the partition 10 beneath the pulley 31, there being a similar cord or cable 33 secured to the eyes of the arm 28 with its opposite end passing over the roller 31 for engagement with the mating drum 34.

The drums 34 are secured to and mounted for rotation with a shaft 35, the latter being provided with a terminal crank or handle 36 so that by rotating the handle in one direc tion the rack will be revolved so as to exhibit the meat on one side of the rack at the display opening and when the handle is re volved in the opposite direction the meat on the opposite side of the rack will be exhibited at said display opening. The shaft 35 is mounted for rotation in a conical shaped bushing or plug 36 formed of cork, rubber or other suitable material and which engages a correspondingly shaped opening formed in the front walls of the casing so as to prevent the admission of warm air to the interior of the refrigerator.

The cable 30 is spaced from the upper sup porting frame 19 by means of suitable arms 38 the free ends of which are bifurcated for the reception of said cable, there being rollers or pulleys 39 disposed one on each side of the roller 31 to assist in guiding the cables 30 and 32 to the revolving drums.

The upper compartment 7 is preferably provided with one or more doors or closures 40 so as to permit the ice in said chamber to be replenished when necessary.

By having the dislpay rack mounted for rotation within the refrigerator in the manner described the butcher or store-keeper may conveniently display any particular cut of meat at the display opening by merely rotating the crank 36 and without the necessity of entering the refrigerator or handling the meat.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that there is provided an extremely simple, inexpensive and efficient device admirably adapted for the attainment of the ends in view. I

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator including a casing provided with a display opening, a rack mounted for rotation within the casing and rovided with means for supporting the articles to be exhibited, a shaft journaled in one wall of the casing drums secured to and mounted for rotation with the shaft, a flexible medium secured to each side of the rack and operatively connected: with the drums, and a crank formed on one end of the shaft and extending through the adjacent wall of the casing for rotating the drums thereby to suecessively display the articles at said opening.

2. A refrigerator including a casing provided with a display opening, a rack mounted. for rotation within the casing and adapted to support the articles to be exhibited, arms extended laterally on opposite sides of the rack, drums mounted for rotation within the casing, a flexible medium, one end of each of which is connected to the adjacent arm with its opposite end operatively connected with the drums and a crank shaft extending through one wall of the casing for rotating the drums thereby to successively present the articles at the display opening.

3. A refrigerator including a casing provided with closures having display openings formed therein, a partition separating said closures, a display rack mounted for rotation within the casing and adapted to support the articles to be exhibited, arms extending laterally from opposite sides of the rack, a shaft extending through the casing, drums mounted for rotation with the shaft, a cord forming a connection between one of the arms and the adjacent drum, a similar cord forming a connection between the opposite arm and the mating drum, auxiliary arms for spacing one of the cords from the rack, and a crank secured to the shaft for rotating the drums thereby to successively display the articles at the opening.

4. A refrigerator including a casing provided with closures having display openings formed therein, there being a conical shaped opening formed in one wall of the casing, a rack mounted for rotation within the *asing and provided with vertically spaced frames of different widths adapted to support the articles to be exhibited, a bushing engaging the walls of the opening in the casing, a shaft j ournaled in the bushing and provided with a terminal crank arranged. on the outs de of the casing, drums arranged within the casing and mounted for rotation with the shaft, and a flexible connection between. the drums and the opposite sides of one of the frames for rotating the latter thereby to successively present the articles at the display opening.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto allixed. my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HUG H LYNN 0 RAW F0 RD.

Witnesses:

CHAS. WARDEN, Tnno. CRAWFORD. 

